/ Well protected UK Slabs

Slabs have steadily become my preferred medium in the last couple of years, and whilst I can keep a reasonably cool head on a run out within my grade it gets scary when I push it.
Last year I enjoyed the bolted routes at Shakemantle Quarry (Ruspidge), I also love routes like Armorican at Craig Caerfai and Rob's Crack at Fairy Cave (Trad slabs with ample pro).
I know of a few other Sport options on Gower (Barland Quarry, Watchouse Slabs), some North Pembroke sandstone, Baggy Point, some Culm stuff and selected North Wales Slate but wondered if there were other slabby and well protected options out there (VS - E2 Trad/5 - 6c sport). Either particular routes or even better crags with lots to go at on the easy side of vertical.
Any UK suggestions gratefully received...

Yup, looking forward to some more Slate next time I'm in those parts. Done Seamstress, a few at Bus Stop and some of the easier bolted things in Australia/Never Never land. Want to get on the long Skyline Buttress 6a's.

There's a load of stuff on the coast west of Tenby. I normally base myself at Manorbier when I'm heading down there. Becks Point, Rusty Point and Giltar Slabs are fairly representative. Well worth a visit imho.

A word of caution watch where you place your runners. I was belaying someone on that when they peeled off. Both cams failed and they decked. There are good placements but he didn't use them. Mind you the lucky sod was uninjured so he got up and did it again, with more success this time.
Not a route for shorties

Botterill's Slab VS on Scafell is an absolute belter! The main pitch has a reasonable amount of gear - quite a few small nuts. We followed it up with Slab and Groove, another good VS, with a tough slab pitch.

> Have you done Sacre Coeur on Blackchurch Rock, I thought that was a well protected slab for E2.

This the ultimate in well-protected slab, quite a rare beast. Very very slabby (60 degrees) and without a single resting foothold for the entire 40m, just thin vertical cracks that take wires and sometimes fingers. I found it insanely painful - I was wearing sloppy boots and my feet were screaming after 10m...only another 30m to go. Most people seem to think it's easy at E2 5b, but to me it felt 5c and painful/hard!

I ran out of gear 10 m below the top. Choices were to escape to the right arete or move up on adrenalin. I did the latter and it stands out as one of the best routes I've ever done. But, boy, did it hurt....!

Thanks for all the replies so far, has given me quite a bit of food for thought.
Sacre Couer looks great, I'll have to be on form for the lead, but certainly one to aim for.
Done some VS/HVS at Baggy, but there's more to return for. Visited Kenidjack for Saxon and Rock Dancer (brilliant routes). Also done Golden Slipper (exquisite). Done Wreckers and Stormy Weather, but keen to do more on Culm. Matchless at Oldwalls looks especially tempting, is the gear OK on that?
Botterill's Slab and Arch Slab on 3 Cliffs are ones I've been eyeing for a while. I quite enjoy steeper pockety slabs like the Great Central Cave HVSes at Shorn Cliff too.
Anyone know what Sergeant Crag routes (Lakes) are like for gear? It looks like my sort of venue.

Matchless is very well protected. The peg at the crux is dodgy but there's a small cam just above. There's also a variation high tide start at the same grade from the platform below the front face. Whilst you're in the area Screda Point, Hippa Rock and Gull Rock all have excellent slab routes at the grade.

At Three Cliffs, Scavenger and Arch Slab at VS and Inverted V at HVS. I've not done Inverted V, but while the bottom might be a bit bold, it doesn't look hard. There is apparently gear under the overhang.

In reply to Michael Gordon: I did spartan slabs when VS was my limit, one of the pitches (I think the one before the overlap) has tasty 4c move with the last gear being a veryold peg several metres below my feet and the gear before that several metres below that. Didn't feel that well protected to me!

By no means comparable with the quality recommendations above but there are some bolt protected true slab lines in Penmenbach quarry (top part) and Dyserth castle slab. Worth knowing if you are in the area.

Skyline buttress is a good shout - routes like Plastic Soldier has bolts in double figures (and also some good moves). There's a fair amount else on the slate beyond Serengeti and Bus Stop - routes like Mental Lentils, Last Tango and Bella Lugosi are all pretty well protected.

Another vote for Arch slab at Three Cliffs, though I'm less convinced by Inverted V - it's not hard but it's not that well protected... I seem to remember placing multiple IMPs/small sized Stoppers.

> (In reply to Big Lee)
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> I kind of think a 'slab' route isn't just about angle, its about a style of route, otherwise most routes would qualify as slabs.

Agreed, I guess it is the classic technical, balancy climbing on small holds/friction that most appeals to me. Certainly routes where footwork is more important than the ability to pull hard on holds. Repetitive padding appeals less than routes where there is variety in the moves, I love a big rockover move on tiny holds for example.

Yup. Certainly the main pitch is. It climbs like a slab and the angle is slabby, which are the 2 main criteria for being a slab route in my book.

If it helps, I suspect my climbing is very similar to the OP (both in terms of interests and grades), and I thought QI was ace. You can always escape along DOWH if trying to identify the line of the top pitch is a bit much for you...

Hmm, some of the routes at the left end of the main slab are just about adequately protected with lots of tiny wires, but Kitten Claws is hard, quite bold and a terrible suggestion for somebody looking for routes up to E2...

> Hmm, some of the routes at the left end of the main slab are just about adequately protected with lots of tiny wires, but Kitten Claws is hard, quite bold and a terrible suggestion for somebody looking for routes up to E2...

Revenge is it? As actual slab routes go, it has lots of gear. I'm hardly Henry J Bold you know.

As for the grade? Yes its outside of the defined parameters, but to make up for that, its piss (with stiff shoes).

> As for the grade? Yes its outside of the defined parameters, but to make up for that, its piss (with stiff shoes).

Hmm. I wombled my way up a couple of the E1s without issue (one of them in shoes that didn't fit), but only just managed to desperately crimp my way up Kitten Claws on second by the skin of my teeth. I lost all feeling in my fingertips half way up (which I presume is where the name came from).

> (In reply to The Ivanator)
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> Yeah. Have we had the Barcud routes yet? Kitten Claws et al.

Like the others, I thought Kitten Claws was a slab with crap gear. Quite alot of it, admitedly, but spaced, tiny and sometimes crap. Scary enough, I thought. There must be good well protected slabs at Barcud, but the ones I've done were bold.

> Like the others, I thought Kitten Claws was a slab with crap gear. Quite alot of it, admitedly, but spaced, tiny and sometimes crap. Scary enough, I thought. There must be good well protected slabs at Barcud, but the ones I've done were bold.

I reckon the scoop is only 3 moves, jumpable to the ledge if you bottle it, and although the traverse is hard the runner is higher than you (if a bit off left). The old codger in front of us led it as his first HVS without turning a hair. I'm really only a VS leader but had no problems with it. It used to be second bottom of the graded list in the ye olde 1970s guide and I thought that fair enough. Isn't it a great route though!